League suspends Saunders eight games for PED policy violation

Posted by Mike Florio on July 18, 2013, 5:42 PM EST

Getty Images

Last year, the NFL suspended tight end Weslye Saunders for the first four games of the season, due to a violation of the league’s policy against performance-enhancing substances. This year, the Colts tight end has been suspended again.

The NFL has announced that Saunders will miss the first eight games of the 2013 season for violating the PED policy. It’s the standard penalty for a second offense.

Saunders will be eligible to participate in training camp and the preseason. After the final preseason game, he’ll be exiled until November 4.

For a third offense, Saunders would be suspended 12 months, and he’d then have to apply for reinstatement to the league.

Saunders appeared in 11 regular-season games last year, starting four times. But with Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen and half of a season without Saunders, it could be time for the Colts to move on.

Sigh, you guys realize that almost all athletes in all sports use lots of different types of drugs right? Some of these drugs are out of your system in less than 24 hours and many others can be masked with other drugs. Many others aren’t even detectable at all due to tests not even existing or the drug itself being very new.

Think about it… How did Armstrong get away with it despite being the most tested athlete ever? Use your head and stop being so naive.

We only hear about the ones that mess up their drug timing and get caught.(or are caught by surprise)

While it definitely would send the wrong message to children and isn’t something that any person wants to believe, it is reality. Make no mistake, most of your beloved pro athletes are on drugs.

Cut him loose!!!! Too many young players out there wanting to play and staying clean! Let him see that he isn’t owed a spot on the roster it it a honor to play Pro sports! Geeesh when will these kids get it?

Didn’t take long before someone mentioned the Seahawks. If you truly believe that the only players in the league who use PED’s are on and only on the Seahawks, you’re quite ignorant. They’re just the ones who got caught. Don’t act like your team and your favorite players are exempt. Tomorrow it could be your team in the spotlight for PED’s.

seenable says:Jul 18, 2013 8:08 PM

The Lions are going to need TEs a year from now (Pettigrew and Scheffler both in contract years). Sign him up, stash him, try and rehabilitate him.

LOL, if it was safe and legal….we’d want everyone on roids etc. That would be a level playing field w/all doped up!! But, it isn’t legal, nor safe. Those that play the game w/enhancements are under the delusion that nothing will affect them.

The NFL goes way too easy on Cheaters. It should be a year for first offense and indefinite on second.
Some of these guys disappear after being caught. Anybody ever think “Lights Out” would be out of the league by now before we knew he was cheating?

why are there always so many thumbs down for posts that bring about the truth: that most football players use steroids/hgh. do all these people profusely refuse, or is it the NFLPA reading these and getting mad and pressing the big thumbs down?lol

Anyone that enjoys football, that thinks that 90% or more of the total NFL isn’t on roids, and thinks that only a select few are taking them?? Better switch to water polo! It’s proven, fact! 100% documented, that over 92% of professional football players are on some form of PED. Accept it as reality and just enjoy the game! Ignorance is bliss

Haha the Mariners have a pitcher Saunders Sooo he’s already in Seattle, anyway how does Clay Matthews dodge this bullet? I don’t know just seems he doubled in size from Senior at college to rookie year, Ahhh he’s probably just a hard worker and a late bloomer.

I love the Hawk jokes! Bring ‘em on because this team is going to steamroll the NFL. So keep those, seattle won the SB bcuz they’re cheaters. Waah, waah, waah. I didn’t realize so many female football fans posted onpft.

I’m curious what the PED that he tested for was… There are players who see a doctor for something, get prescribed a medication and then find out later that its considered a PED. Any supplement, or medication, even legal and doctor prescribed ones must be updated with the NFL. If the NFL isn’t “updated” that a doctor prescribed you something and you later test for it, then it can be considered a violation of the PED policy. I have been prescribed a mild steroid several times for various illnesses and such. I’m curious what this guy was guilty of. Is he a cheater? Or just a dumb kid?

pocketcow says:
Jul 18, 2013 6:35 PM
Sigh, you guys realize that almost all athletes in all sports use lots of different types of drugs right? Some of these drugs are out of your system in less than 24 hours and many others can be masked with other drugs. Many others aren’t even detectable at all due to tests not even existing or the drug itself being very new.

Think about it… How did Armstrong get away with it despite being the most tested athlete ever? Use your head and stop being so naive.

We only hear about the ones that mess up their drug timing and get caught.(or are caught by surprise)

While it definitely would send the wrong message to children and isn’t something that any person wants to believe, it is reality. Make no mistake, most of your beloved pro athletes are on drugs.

——————————-

Seriously? Just because “everyone” does it or gets away with it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t care. These idiots who do get caught deserves whatever punishment and criticism comes their way.

Sure it would make the sport more exciting seeing beefed up men bashing each other on the field but what about when someone takes a little too much of it? That’s just another law suit in the making…”the NFL never warned me PEDs were bad for my long term health.”

It really is a sad day for the Colts, I can totally understand that you would want to be play for the greatest franchise in the history of the NFL but at best, even using PED’s you would maybe be good enough to play for the Ravens. Well, if you killed someone you could play for the Ravens, but I digress. The Colts do not want players that cheat, this guy really had no shot of making the team anyways but we used him on the practice squad to simulate other teams best tight Ends, which coincidentally isn’t that hard to do. Good luck with your career elsewhere young man and I hope this vicious drugs have not destroyed your body already, heres to seeing age 50!!!